As part of its ongoing effort to address and mitigate the suffering caused by the Syrian refugee crisis, WRF Lebanon has just completed a 6 month $515,000 grant from The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The grant to WRF Lebanon had wide ranging and immediate effects on the ground. The direct actions of the project supported and aided more than 720 people with disabilities, the majority of whom were women and children. Overall, 65 % of the recipients were Syrian Refugees and 35% were Lebanese citizens from the host community. The critically important materials that have been provided are: 100 prostheses, 120 orthoses, 180 hearing aids, and 300 pairs of eye glasses. Persons with disabilities remain some of the most vulnerable people within this very vulnerable population and without the work of WRF Lebanon, their vital needs would have gone unaddressed.

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian organizations to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA also ensures that there is a coherent strategy and coordination for the overall response efforts. OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies. OCHA also advocates for the rights of people in need, promotes preparedness and prevention, and facilitates sustainable solutions.

Please join us in congratulating our colleagues at WRF Lebanon for their tremendous effort, significant impact, and dedication to helping the people of Lebanon and Syria.